East New Guinea Highlands is a 1960 proposal by Stephen Wurm for a family of Papuan languages spoken in Papua New Guinea that formed part of his 1975 expansion of Trans–New Guinea.
History of classification
The original proposal consisted of West-Central (Engan), Central (Chimbu–Wahgi), East-Central (Goroka), and Eastern (Kainantu). Duna and Kalam were added in 1971. East New Guinea Highlands was broken up by Malcolm Ross in his 2005 classification (see below), but all branches were retained, and all remain within the now expanded Trans–New Guinea. This language grouping should not be confused with the East Papuan languages, a separate hypothesis.
Family division
Wiru isolate
Kenati isolate
Duna–Pogaya family
Kalam family: Gants, Kalam-Kobon, Tai
Eastern (Kainantu) family
Oweina language
Kambaira language
Tairora branch: Binumarien, South Tairoa, North Tairoa, Waffa
Gapsup branch: Agarabi, Awiyaana, Awa, Gadsup, Kosena, Ontenu, Usarufa
Central (Chimbu–Wahgi) family
Chimbu branch: Chuave, Dom, Golin, Kuman, Nomane, Salt-Yui, Sinasina
Hagen branch
Melpa (Medlpa) language
Kaugel languages: Imbongu, Mbo-Ung, Umbu-Ungu
Jimi branch: Maring, Narak, Kandawo
Wahgi branch: Nii, Wahgi, North Wahgi
East-Central (Goroka) family
Gende language
Fore branch: Fore, Gimi
Gahuku branch: Dano (Upper Asaro), Benabena, Alekano (Gahuku), Tokano (Lower Asaro) Siane branch: Siane, Yaweyuha Kamono-Yagaria branch: Kamono, Inoke-Yate, Kanite, Keyagana, Yagaria West-Central (Engan) family Huli language Enga proper: Enga, Nete, Ipili, Lembena, Bisorio Angal-Kewa branch: Kyaka, Angal, Angal Heneng (Katinja), Angal Enen, Samberigi (Sau), West Kewa, East Kewa, Erave
Ross classified each of the families in bold as a separate branch of TNG, with the exceptions of Kainantu and Goroka, which he kept together; Kalam, which he linked to the Rai Coast family; and Kenati, which he had insufficient data to classify but which has since been associated with Kainantu.
Ross believes that these languages lie near the homeland of proto–Trans New Guinea.
